Welcome to our first Do It Yourself blog post. Our topic this week is Candy tables. Candy tables are a great way to add a little fun to your event! All your guests, both young and old, can appreciate a sweet treat. Our 5 easy steps to create the perfect candy table will help take the stress out of this fun DIY.

So here we go…

Step 1: Decide on your colour and theme.

Think about the theme of your party. Is it a wedding, baby shower, wedding shower, or birthday? Candy is colourful so don’t be afraid to have some fun with colours and patterns. In our opinion the brighter the linen, the better.

Step 2: Pick your candy.

There are three main types of candy to choose from; bulk/loose candy, packaged candy, and designer candy. Bulk candy can be found in stores like the Bulk Barn. Packaged candy can be found in specialty candy stores in many varieties. Designer candies can be made at many locations in Toronto. If you are looking for something really cool, head on over to www.mymms.com where you can get your face printed on M&M’s candy.

Step 3: Pick your Container.

Now that you have your candy, you can pick your container. Packaged candies can be laid out on flat surfaces to display the type, while bulk candies can be put in glass containers to show off the vibrant colours. We rent the above containers at www.gervaisrentals.com .

Step 4: How much candy do you need?

When planning for your event, make sure you have enough candy. Try buying about 6-10 oz. per guest. Mason jars and mini paper bags can be used by your guests to carry their candy. If you choose paper bags, check out Michaels craft store for ink stamps to make your bags uniquely yours.

Step 5: Give your table a Pop

Your candy is already going to be the star of the show but don’t forget to give the table a little love too. Try adding cute little signs or tall centerpieces. It will help make the table more visually pleasing.

Welcome to our blog!

We are so excited to share our stories, tips, trade secrets and more with all of you! Some of you may know us and our history, but for those of you who don’t, here is a look at our journey as a company.

The Beginning – 1949:

Gervais has always been family oriented. Our original owners, Al and Mary Gervais, founded Gervais in 1949. “We have been attending your parties and dancing to your tune” ever since. During this time, Al still kept up with his job at Canada post. Once the business outgrew the back of the hardware store they had been running it from, Al ran Gervais out of his house on Coldstream Ave in Toronto. Back in the day, you could see Al driving around in the family station wagon making his deliveries. Al closed down the rentals in 1975.

Alfred Gervais standing in front of the Embers.

The New Leaf – 1985:

For almost 9 years, Al’s company had been closed. During this time, Al kept the name registered in the hopes of reopening. Al found that hope in a young man named George Ogston. George had been a dedicated employee at Al’s restaurant, the Embers Restaurant and Banquet Halls. In 1985, Al decided to sign his shares of the company over to George Ogston and his son, Terry Gervais. George and Terry reopened the business and ran it out of the back of The Embers on Warden Ave.

Fun fact: George used to wash the rental dishes in the Embers dishwasher after the restaurant closed for the night!

George with his truck licence.

A Gervais original our big pink tent.

The Transition – 1987:

With our inventory growing and our business expanding, it was time to transition into a bigger building. In 1987, Gervais moved into a new building on Howden Rd. This building marked an exciting new chapter for Gervais. We were growing both our customer base and our inventory. We started the journey further into the rental business by adding tents and show service equipment.

Fun fact: Here at Gervais, family is very important to us. So important in fact, that many of our current employees actually started their careers at our Howden Rd location. In our office; Harrison, Darek, Laurie, and Sonia are still loyal employees. Our General Manager, Matthew and our Warehouse Manager, Jason, also started on Howden Rd. Our Drivers; Zia, Hussan, Najib, and Farid were with us from the start and are the same, kind faces that you see on your tent setups and other deliveries. Even the neighborhood Mr. Fix it, Winslow is still employed with us today. You may see him at the customer pick-up door.

Who remembers the monkey?

Our Harrison 25 years ago.

The Advancement – 2004:

With our humble little building bursting at the seams, George and Terry, made the decision to look for a bigger building. In 2004, Gervais moved back to Warden Ave. This time, in the building beside the Embers Restaurant and Banquet Halls. Our location on Warden was a temporary move, while we waited for our new and bigger building on Milner Ave.

Our ever growing inventory.

The Cultivation – 2006:

In 2006, Gervais made its biggest move ever, to 75 Milner Ave. Our new building is 65,000 square feet of new opportunities and big changes. Over the past 11 years here on Milner Avenue, Gervais has grown, advanced, and bettered itself to become one of the most reliable rental businesses in Toronto. We are proud of our friendly customer service and our attention to detail. Over the last 11 years, Gervais has changed its business model and advanced its customer relations. With many long hours and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, our team’s hard work and dedication to the customer experience has created a safe, friendly, and loving environment for both our staff and customers.

Fun Fact: Did you know Gervais has a solar roof? The entire top of our building is covered with giant solar tubes. We make enough renewable energy for all our companies needs and even have some left over. This helps us keep our carbon foot print at zero.

Top View of our Building

Our Solar Panels

The Expansion – 2017/2018:

Our home on 75 Milner is wonderful but because of all the hard work put in over the last 11 years, we are quickly running out of inventory space. Therefore we are happy to announce WE ARE EXPANDING. Gervais will be adding 35 000 square feet to our existing building, in order to serve our customers better. This new warehouse space will help us further grow our inventory so we can make sure all our customers find what they are looking for.

THANK YOU for reading our first blog post! Stay tuned for next week when Terry Gervais writes about his mother and fathers experiences starting up the rentals.